BILL ANALYSIS
SB 596
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 9, 2000
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Carole Migden, Chairwoman
SB 596 (Alpert) - As Amended: August 7, 2000
Policy Committee: HealthVote:14-0
Human Services 5-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill enacts the California Volunteer Mentor Partnership Act
to support youth mentoring activities. Specifically, this bill:
1)Establishes the Office of Youth Development Services (OYDS)
and the Governor's Policy Council on Youth Development
(Council). Requires the Council to include specified state
departments, including the Attorney General and the
Departments of Social Services, Mental Health, Alcohol and
Drug Programs, Youth Authority, Health and Education.
2)Requires OYDS to be the lead coordinating entity in the state
for mentoring programs and other youth development strategies.
Requires OYDS, under the guidance of the Council, to help
coordinate departments receiving state funds for mentoring
programs.
3)Requires OYDS to promote adoption of quality assurance
standards, technical assistance, preparation of a statewide
directory of mentor program services, and other activities.
4)Requires OYDS to annually report to the Legislature by March 1
on the progress and outcomes achieved by this legislation.
FISCAL EFFECT
Appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to OYDS, to be
allocated as follows:
1)$5 million to the Office of the Secretary of Education to
SB 596
Page 2
expand community-based academic mentoring efforts. This
restores funding deleted by the budget conference committee
for the governor's proposed expansion of academic mentoring
under this office.
2)$2 million over a two-year period for a comprehensive research
and evaluation study on the efficacy of youth mentoring
programs.
3)$2 million for additional technical assistance for
community-based mentoring programs, infrastructure and
staffing.
4)$1 million to facilitate public-private partnerships through
outreach, education, and other activities.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . This bill is intended to improve the lives of
California's youth through quality mentoring programs and
other youth development services. It establishes an
organizational framework (the OYDS and Council) to provide
state level leadership, coordination and collaboration in
support of youth development. The bill also requires existing
mentoring programs and resources to be coordinated and held to
statewide quality assurance standards.
According to the author, mentoring has proven to be a viable
strategy to reduce at-risk behavior in youth. The author
argues that one-to-one mentoring, group mentoring and
mentor-rich environments are effective strategies to prevent
academic failure, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and
involvement in the criminal justice system. The California
Collaborative of Big Brothers Big Sisters cites recent study
findings that youth involved with their programs were 46% less
likely to start using drugs, 27% less likely to start
drinking, 52% less likely to skip school, 33% less likely to
hit someone and were more trusting of their parents or
guardians than youth who were not mentored.
2)Background . During FY 1999-2000, five state agencies funded
mentoring programs:
a) Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs: $1.1 million
in grants to counties.
SB 596
Page 3
b) Office of Criminal Justice Planning: $800,000 in grants
to counties.
c) Department of Community Services and Development: $2
million in grants to community-based organizations.
d) California Youth Authority: $1.2 million to fund mentor
programs for youth on probation.
e) Office of Child Development and Education: $10 million
in grants to school districts.
Analysis Prepared by : Joyce Iseri / APPR. / (916) 319-2081